4 Proven “Hacks” for Winning NaNoWriMo

As we dive into NaNo Prep season , we’ve talked to some participants to get the inside scoop on how to best prepare for November. Today, Jessica Brody, author of Save the Cat! Writes a Novel , shares how to set yourself up for success by creating a morning writing routine:

I’m ALL about the hacks! Get the most done in the least amount of time. Life hacks, writing hacks, productivity hacks, I’ve got them all. In fact, when people ask me how I’m able to write four books a year, I have one word for them: HACKS!

And so I’ve decided to apply my “hacking skills” to my favorite writing event of the year: NaNoWriMo. Because let’s face it, when you write four books a year (over 300,000 annual words), every day of your life is pretty much a NaNoWriMo.

So, here are some hacks that I use to write 50,000 words in one month:

1. Don’t look back and don’t edit.

Yes, it’s hard. Yes, your inner perfectionist will always want to peek back at what you wrote yesterday and start tinkering it to death. RESIST! NaNoWriMo is all about forward momentum. Which means you can’t look back. You can’t edit. You have to keep your inner perfectionist bound and gagged in the closet.

Yes, your writing is going to be bad. Like really bad. But guess what? That’s not your problem. That’s Future You’s problem. Future You is the author who suddenly appears and sits down in your chair on December 1st. And Future You is amazing at editing crappy writing. It’s their only job! Your job is to write as much as you can in 30 days. So, do your job and let Future You do their job.

2. Keep an ongoing list of edits and revisions.

But what if I come up with something brilliant that happens earlier in the novel? Can’t I just got back really quickly and change it?

NO!

Because essentially changing means deleting and deleting means fewer words. And then, you’re moving backward instead of moving forward. But, of course, you don’t want to forget that brilliant idea, so keep an active list of changes and revisions you want to make on hand at all times. Either in a word document, notebook, Evernote, or a list-making app. (I like Trello.)

Write down all your brilliant ideas for the things you want to change. Then once you’ve finished the messy, crappy first draft of the novel on November 30, Future You has a nice tidy to-do list ready for them to use! (Future You loves nice, tidy to-do lists.)

3. Use bullet points to get through tricky scenes.

Not all scenes or chapters come to us fully formed, with witty dialogue, striking metaphors, beautiful prose, and perfect structure. Wouldn’t that be nice?

Sometimes (especially when we’re racing to finish a 50,000-word novel in 30 days), scenes or ideas come to us in chunky, choppy bits and pieces. A dialogue exchange here, a nice description there, a sentence or two about how the character is feeling, etc. In order to keep your momentum going and not let these tricky scenes slow you down, I recommend using bullet points to get your ideas down quickly.  

For instance, you could quickly draft out a scene that looks like this:

Jenny gets in the carReese stares out the window, not saying anything.Jenny wants to talk to him but doesn’t know what to say.They both sit in silence.Reese finally talks about something else (the weather? The road conditions? Other?)Jenny knows something is going on but is it really her job to bring it up?Reese: “Do you want to stop for food?”The thought of food makes Jenny want to vomit.Jenny: “I’m not hungry.”

And, then, you simply KEEP GOING! The idea is down on paper. You won’t forget it. Now, you can move on and keep the forward momentum going.  

4. Outline the key “beats” of your story before November!

The best way to stay on track writing a novel in 30 days, is to… you know, actually have a track to stay on.

My best advice is to start with an outline. Not a full 200-page, chapter-by-chapter outline. Start with the key “story beats”. These are the same beats found in every great story ever told.

Like the Catalyst (the thing that pushes your character into action), the Break into Act 2 (what your character decides to do about the Catalyst), the Midpoint (the twist or turning point that sends the story in a new direction), and the All is Lost (the lowest point of your novel that will eventually motivate your character to change.)

I use the Save the Cat! plotting method to outline all of my novels. But regardless of what you use, laying out the key story beats first, before you start writing, will help keep you on track, on target, and motivated to write every single day.

If you want find out more about the Save the Cat! method, and read examples of the key story beats found in popular novels, download my FREE “Save the Cat! Starter Kit” here.

You can also check out my book, Save the Cat! Writes a Novel which releases on October 9, 2018.

Good luck, Wrimos!

Limited Time Special Pre-Order Offer:

Pre-order a copy of Save the Cat! Writes a Novel and receive a FREE companion eBook containing bonus beat sheets (plot breakdowns) for 10 popular novels. That’s over 120 pages of extra content to help you plot your own bestseller.

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Since Jessica Brody started using the Save the Cat! method, she has sold more than 17 novels to major publishers like Simon and Schuster, Random House, and Macmillan. Now, Jessica is the author of several novels for teens, tweens, and adults. Jessica’s books have been translated and published in over 23 countries, and two are currently in development as major motion pictures. She lives with her husband and three dogs near Portland, OR. Visit her online at: JessicaBrody.com, Follow her on Twitter @JessicaBrody, or on Instagram @JessicaBrody